The present invention relates generally to portable lights such as spotlights, flashlights, and the like, and, more particularly, to portable lights having a multi-mode reflector.
Portable lights such as spotlights and flashlights typically include a light source, such as a lamp bulb, surrounded by a concave reflector to reflect the light from the lamp bulb and direct the light through a lens covering the open end of the reflector. In general, the light source can be selected from a number of different types of sources, including incandescent, halogen, xenon, or light emitting diode (commonly referred to as “LED”). In such portable lights, the reflector can have a parabolic or non-parabolic shape and the positional relationship between the lamp bulb and the reflector can be fixed or variable.
When the relationship between the lamp bulb and the reflector is fixed, a parabolic reflector may be used to achieve a focused spot beam of light. In that case, the lamp bulb—or more specifically, its light emitting element, such as the filament in the case of an incandescent source—is disposed at the focal point of the parabolic reflector, so that the light rays project generally parallel to each other from the reflector. Since the light is concentrated, spot beams are useful for illuminating a particular object. For other applications, it is desirable to provide broader, more dispersed light pattern than that provided by a spot light pattern. To that end, for example, flashlights have been provided that include a non-parabolic reflector configured to achieve a broad, dispersed light pattern.
For purposes of achieving a variable light pattern, the lamp bulb and reflector can be movable relative to one another along an optical axis of the reflector. This focusing adjustment can be accomplished by mounting either the lamp bulb or the reflector in a fixed position on the portable light, and providing means to move the other component relative to it, or the lamp bulb and reflector can be mounted so that both move. Whatever the arrangement, when the lamp bulb and reflector are displaced relative to one another so that the lamp bulb is not at the focal point of the reflector, the light rays diverge from the central axis, creating a comparatively broader beam as compared to having the lamp bulb at the focal point. Although such flashlights provide different modes of light patterns, shortfalls exist. For example, when the lamp bulb is not at the focal point, an un-illuminated, or dimly illuminated spot typically results at the center of the light pattern, which is undesirable in most uses. Moreover, the size of the un-illuminated center becomes exacerbated with distance.
It should, therefore, be appreciated that there exists a need for a portable light that solves that aforementioned problems. The present invention fulfills this need and others.